B etween three distinctly New Haven-y indulgences, three dueling artist receptions, a three-day music festival and an über-talented band with a certain numeral in its name, good things come in threes this week in New Haven.

Monday, November 3
Well before starting his run as esteemed host of late-night program The Dick Cavett Show in the late ’60s, Dick Cavett attended Yale, where “he appeared in numerous radio and stage productions.” Tonight at 7 p.m., Cavett meets radio and stage again—sort of—during the next installment of WSHU Public Radio’s “Join the Conversation” series, at Long Wharf Theatre (222 Sargent Dr, New Haven; 203-787-4282). Promoting his new book Brief Encounters: Conversations, Magic Moments, and Assorted Hijinks, the itinerary includes an hourlong talk followed by questions from the audience, plus a book signing. $35.50.

Tuesday, November 4 – Election Day
Make time to vote today.

Then treat yourself to “flames, smoke and color-changing liquids” during “See Chemistry in Action!,” a free 6 p.m. talk/demo intended to “explain some of the chemistry happening all around us every day.” Dr. Bassam Shakhashiri, a longtime communicator of science to the public, including during an annual televised broadcast each holiday season, is the ringleader of the exclamatory affair, which is geared toward both adults and kids. The demonstration takes place in room 110 of the Sterling Chemistry Lab (225 Prospect St, New Haven; free parking at the nearby Ingalls Rink and Peabody Museum of Natural History).

sponsored by

Wednesday, November 5
Richard Preston’s not a scientist, but like Shakhashiri he’s a well-established science whisperer, writing numerous books on science topics from astronomy to infectious disease. One of his bestselling efforts of the latter type, The Hot Zone, delved into the origins of the Ebola virus more than twenty years before the great media hype of 2014. This evening, Preston’s speaking at the Whitney Humanities Center (53 Wall St, New Haven; 203-432-0670), perhaps relaying information gathered while working on“The Ebola Wars,” a recent New Yorker article subtitled “How genomics research can help contain the outbreak.” 5 p.m. Free.

Thursday, November 6
Coinciding with its exhibit From Clocks to Lollipops: Made in New Haven is the New Haven Museum’s “Burger, Beer and Stogie Stroll,” not necessarily in that order. The 6:30 p.m. occasion begins at the museum itself (114 Whitney Avenue, New Haven; 203-562-4183), serving hors d’oeuvres and local beers from Thimble Island Brewing Company. Then cigars made by F.D. Grave, once based in the city, are passed around before attendees head to Louis’ Lunch for burgers, followed by a stop at Prime 16 for a flight of beers before ending up at the Owl Shop to finish those stogies. Advance tickets go for $30.

Friday, November 7
Denizens of the city’s active arts mixer scene have at least three promising options tonight. From 5 to 8 p.m., Artspace (50 Orange St, New Haven; 203-772-2709) celebrates the opening of CT (un) Bound, a group show featuring eight in-state artists whose collective works offer “a rich mix of personal narrative, historical events, politics, industrial rise and decline” and more. Just up the street, and also from 5 to 8 p.m., Reynolds Fine Art (96 Orange St, New Haven; 203-498-2200) hosts an opening reception for OUT ON 9, a group exhibition of LGBTQ artists from around the country who do LGBTQ-themed work, coinciding with “Out On9,” the more comprehensive first Friday celebration spanning much of the Ninth Square. Finally, from 6 to 8 p.m., local artist Tracie Cheng gets a reception for her ongoing exhibit The Seen & the Unseen in the gallery-fied lobby at SCSU’s Lyman Center for the Performing Arts (501 Crescent St, New Haven). Cheng’s work often features brain-teasing line-drawings, sometimes with underlying textures (like the example pictured above), and along with food for snacking on, the reception boasts a performance by cellist Ravenna Michalsen from 6:30 to 7:30.

sponsored by

The Z3, performing tonight at 9 p.m. at the Pacific Standard Tavern (212 Crown St, New Haven), says it does “funky takes on Frank Zappa,” and it even has a bonafide Zappa alumnus among its ranks: Ed Mann, who mans percussion and various electronic devices. But “funky,” while apt, doesn’t do enough to capture what the band’s up to. Featuring less quirky delivery than, but abiding love for, the source material, The Z3’s renditions are both tight and rip-roaring, and each of its members—Tim Palmieri on guitar, Beau Sasser on organ, Bill Carbone on drums and Mann—is very, very good at what he does. $10.

Saturday, November 8
Tonight’s “FLASH: The Gala That Glitters” costs a pretty penny with regular tickets running $100 apiece. But the money’s going to nonprofit organizer Elm City Dance Collective, which needs it to pay for “the development of new choreography” in 2015, as well as “community dance classes, youth education programs and the 2015 Elm City Dance Festival.” Partygoers get access to drinks, “light fare,” dessert, a dance performance and a chance to perform themselves: there’ll be generalized dancing as the night goes on.

Sunday, November 9
Starting Friday and finishing today, the Elm City Music Fest puts on several bills with too many bands to list and music business panels with too many figures to name. Staged across The Space complex (295 Treadwell St, Hamden; 203-288-6400), Cafe Nine (250 State St; 203-789-8281) and LoRicco Towers (216 Crown St, New Haven; 203-562-2255), the approach behind the event is three-pronged: performance (at night), education (during the day) and networking (during happy hours in-between). Single-day tickets cost $12; three-day passes go for $30. See the full schedule here.

About Dan Mims

Turning down a dream editing job right out of college, Dan instead went into marketing and media sales to better cover the rent. Stints at Spin Magazine and Yahoo! followed. But he kept scratching that writing-and-editing itch—first on the side, then at a couple of startups. Dan is now scratching it as Daily Nutmeg's editor.